Sometimes You Just Need A Spoon!

The world is a busy but odd place at the moment. We are finding ourselves being drawn into things we never normally would be. Things can sit heavy in our hearts or our head. We just want to be back to how it was.

For many of us, in our jobs, the work builds, we get on with it but rarely on top of it. Time ticks on and the end is not in sight. Challenges galore. Whilst this can seem daunting, it can also be the reason why we love our job. No two days are the same, learning constantly. Sometimes though, you just want to be ahead of the game and have things under control, at least for a day.

Coping mechanisms differ from day to day, person to person. What works for you may not work for me. How you organise your day can affect your ability to get things done. Maybe you’re a planner and make many lists, the trouble being, you spend so much time making the list, you don’t actually achieve anything! Whilst other days, your list can be your life saver and you tick off several points at the end of the day.

Work builds and the pressure mounts, there is no way round it, other than getting on and doing it. We need an outlet. Otherwise, this pressure can build so much it will eventually explode. Leaving debris of work and home life in its wake.

The outlet you require to help you deal with this strain could be several things. For me its usually running, yoga or reading, This week however, the best release for me was a jar of Nutella! Grabbing a spoon and dipping it into the jar to get a big dollop of gooey chocolatey goodness took me away from everything! That jar was a moment of peace and clarity. It’s not ideal, not something you should really do often, but this week, it was the best outlet for me!

Comfort eating is not ideal or the answer, however, in this case it worked and helped to pull me out of a pressure panic. It’s not something I’d recommend you do often but once in a blue moon, indulging in that one bit of comfort food you enjoy the most can be a positive. Everything in balance, as they say!

But what about other coping mechanisms, sometimes it’s about getting out of your head and into something completely different that requires you to think a lot about being in the moment. Are you an adrenaline junkie and for you, coping with work pressures, would mean at the weekend, you’d get up and go abseiling or bungee jumping just to get the feeling of being free and letting go of work?Abseiling down the side of a hill or mountain, or in an indoor centre takes your mind to another place. The freedom you feel from work and all you have to do is exhilarating and you forget about it until you are back at work. Your weekends are for you and you aren’t going to let work get in the way of it!

Or are you someone who likes to go into nature, walk through the woods or up a hill or mountain. To breathe the fresh air and see the beautiful sights. Looking around you and looking ahead as you take each step, your mind is filled with stunning natural beauty that melts your stress and pressure pain away. Work….what work? It couldn’t be further from your mind.

Perhaps it’s about relaxing, reading that book, magazine or blog, just immersing yourself into something that requires your immediate attention. You find yourself being transported into the pages of the book – you feel what the character feels or you find out something new in an article that stirs your interest. Once again your mind is taken to a positive place and you no longer think about what’s waiting for you on Monday morning.

What about doing something random and different to let go of work for the weekend. Building something in Lego or doing a jigsaw? You have to concentrate on what you are doing to ensure it’s done correctly and you can see the picture emerge or the pirate ship coming together as you build it.

Having an escape from our work frustrations and pressure is important. We need to let go and give ourselves head space for something else. This can get us out of a cycle of feeling the pressure, trying to deal with it, not dealing with it and then being under further pressure to do more work.

Your outlet is about you and what works for you. Involving yourself in something that requires your whole self can be the answer, helping to shift your mind away from what’s to be done and what you are doing now, in the present. Find an activity you lose yourself in and your mind will be occupied. The break from thinking about work will give your brain a chance to solve things so you are fresh for Monday. Be kind to yourself and let your brain breathe!

Grabbing that spoon of Nutella for me this week, was just what was needed. Next week it will be something different. So go with the flow and do what feels right for you this week. Have a good one!

Stay safe, take care and look after you!

Love Emma xxx 😀